Nutritional Sciences-An Eighty Five Year History at Michigan State University 

Although it would still be some years before a Nutritional Sciences major would be officially established for the undergraduate student, Hilda Faust (Division of Home Economics) had already made Foods/Nutrition research a reality in 1918 by investigating food chemistry and other problems.  The work was extended in 1919 by the investigations of Osee Hughes, and in 1922, Assistant Professor Dr. Marie Dye organized Research and Graduate Study in Nutrition.  The group received extensive support from Jean Krueger, Dean of Home Economics.  Thus, when the Home Economics (Human Ecology) Building was erected and opened in 1924, there were three food laboratories on the first floor and three nutrition laboratories on the second floor(1).  The first Masters degrees in Nutrition were granted in 1927.  Dr. Margaret Ohlson, who came in 1929 as an Assistant Professor but soon advanced to Chairperson of the Department, was a stalwart advocate for Nutrition Research from 1934 to 1956. 

By the time Michigan State University (MSU) reached its centennial year  in 1955, the Foods and Nutrition Research undergraduate curriculum was well established.  In the late 1950's, a new Honors College curriculum released credits for students to pursue independent study and laboratory work.  Shortly thereafter, several undergraduates in the Honors College and in Nutrition Research opted to work in the nutrition laboratories under the direction of Dr. Dorothy Arata (1957 to 1967).  Dr. Olaf Mickelsen joined the faculty in 1962, and several undergraduates worked under his direction.  One of these students received a College Centennial Recognition Award in 1996.  Likewise, when Dr. Rachel Schemmel joined the graduate faculty in 1967, several undergraduates worked under her direction, most of whom now have a medical degree or a Ph.D. 

When the College of Home Economics became the College of Human Ecology in 1970, the name of the Department of Foods and Nutrition was changed to Human Nutrition and Foods, and later the same year, the Department of Human Nutrition and Foods was combined with the Department of Food Science in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources to become the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition.  Shortly thereafter, the nutrition laboratories were moved to the Food Science Building (now called G. Malcolm Trout Food Science and Human Nutrition Building). Since Foods Research was an integral part of the Food Science curriculum and the Foods and Nutrition Research major now seemed to be obsolete, a committee consisting of Dr. Gilbert Leveille (Chairperson of the Department), Dr. Richard Nicholas (Food Science) and Dr. Rachel Schemmel (Nutrition) convened to develop the Nutritional Sciences undergraduate major.  The new curriculum was designed to fulfill the needs of undergraduate students interested in a career in Nutrition Research as well as for  undergraduates interested in pursuing a preprofessional degree.  Dr. Maurice Bennink, a new Assistant Professor in 1973, became the first coordinator for the Nutritional Sciences major.  Additional advisors included Dr. Wanda Chenoweth and Dr. Rachel Schemmel.